To attain the mythic title of 'the world's greatest footballer', a player has to do more than top score in their league, they have to do more than win the odd domestic cup, they have to do more than bring home the league crown and individual baubles such as the FIFA World Player of the Year - they have to transcend the game. For those of us lucky enough to watch the Barclays Premier League each week, we maybe witnessing just such an event!

Since I've been watching football, as far as I'm concerned, the title of world's greatest player has gone in this order. Attached to the player's names are the honors that have established their pedigree.

Bobby Charlton: World Cup 1966, European Cup 1968

Pele: World Cups, 1958 & 1970, Copa Libertadores 1962 & '63

Johan Cruyff: European Cups, 1971, '72 & '73

Franz Beckenbauer: European Championship 1972, World Cup 1974 & European Cup 1974, '75 & '76

Michel Platini: European Championship 1984, European Cup 1985

Diego Maradona: World Cup 1986, UEFA Cup 1989

Ronaldo: World Cup 2002, UEFA Cup 1998

Zinedine Zidane: World Cup 1998, European Championship 2000 & European Cup 2002

Obviously the theme to greatness is winning either the World Cup/European Championship and a major European or South American club trophy. Sure all of these legends have won domestic leagues and cups but that does not and will never signify elevation to the highest level. What this exclusive list says to me is that we're now in the midst of a six-year drought.

This weekend in Manchester though, Cristiano Ronaldo put together a performance of such dazzling splendor that I believe we have a serious contender for the title of 'world's greatest footballer'. 

Of course the stakes are high for Ronaldo and the probability of joining the gods of the game, long (that's why there are so few names) but when you look at the next few months facing the twenty-three-year-old immortality surely beckons.

Sure Manchester United are a slam-dunk to win the league but as mentioned above that's not good enough for this exclusive club. What Ronaldo does have on the horizon is a possible Champions League and European Championship.

According to the bookmakers who should know a thing or two about predicting winners, United, are favorites to win the Champions League while Portugal are third favorites to lift Euro 2008.

If United and Portugal make it all the way to their respective 'promised lands' and Ronaldo features prominently in each match the doors to football heaven will be opened.

Four years ago in Portugal, Ronaldo was too young to accept the invitation as his country lost to Greece in the final of Euro 2004. Even last year, the maturity wasn't yet there as AC Milan's, Kaka (who is surely destined to join Ronaldo on the above list) showed him in the UEFA Champions League semi-final that substance trumps style in the matches that matter most but this year...

This year we have been privileged to witness someone invent a new level of how football is played. In a way it reminds me something I heard about Barry Bonds during his pomp earlier in the decade. A reporter said that Bonds had mastered the impossible 'the art of hitting'. I feel that Ronaldo has mastered football - he is unstoppable.

And yet if United and Portugal do fail this season, the tag of 'world's greatest footballer' will allude him, perhaps temporarily or maybe even forever however don't feel too sorry for the lad from Madeira, after all, he is only twenty-three - still plenty of time to join the giants of the game.

Until then, I'll see you at the far post.